Smoke Angel
by Ninok
Summary: Everything outside these black walls was blurred, but I knew they were working for me. It was my reality, no one knew what I was living. It was a mistake, they shouldn't have seen it. Hopefully they won't believe it, they will think of a nightmare. No one has to know. These dreams shouldn't have crossed, yet they all joined me. Now they have to forget it. Warning:mention of torture


Hello everyone this is absolutely not my first fanfiction, but the others are on my other account in french

This comes from a very weird and bloody idea, I don't know why but I wanted to write it all. It all happens in the world of project DREAMS, though it isn't part of this fanfiction, so you can say it's an AU, a parallel writting in the world of my main work.

I'd love if you took the time to give me a review! Love you.

* * *

The world fading for once, he had fell asleep. It wasn't usual but he really needed it these times. He was stressed, so much. He regretted that cursed day, when William was taken. It was his fault, he knew it too well. Why didn't he warned him more? He should, he should have cared more. He had let him go without teaching anything, it wasn't a surprise he got possessed. Obviously, why didn't he though about it before, imagined her angel going to Lyoko for the first time, being exposed to the enemy like that. She would have suffered the same fate. But because it was almost a stranger for him, he let him do everything himself.

He had been so irresponsible! How could he claim to be a hero if he let people down? It was a friend, and he abandoned him! He could never forgive himself about it, the only thing he could do was working, working again to save him. Who knew what he was living? Who knew how he was taking this possession thing? Surely not very good. He had to erase his mistakes with this program, it was his only chance. For him to finally live someday without it on his conscience, weighting so much, and for William who deserved so much to be helped after he fell in Xana's clutches because of his lack of seriousness.

It was his own responsibility, after having caused that. That little journey on Lyoko wasn't supposed to turn so bad, he didn't paid attention enough. He was too concentrated on Aelita, despite the one in danger wasn't her. And now, he was afraid. Scared for once Xana had been stronger than him. Smarter than him. And that he may be powerless, he couldn't bring William back and destroy the AI that caused them so many problems.

Thus he gave all his energy in his work, he decided he wouldn't sleep without finishing these lines of codes, but his human nature couldn't stand it apparently and he felt tiredness come and wrap itself around him. All his surroundings blurred, he was dreaming. But what was it even? Without realizing first, he was floating weirdly and was typing some program in the factory he would easily remember. All the Lyoko Warriors were here and he was sending them to Lyoko, but with unknown coordinates, not in any territory. Without knowing anything, he prepared a self virtualization and walked in the scanner without fear.

He was directly transferred, yet he had no clue where. The place was dark, he could barely see at all but at least all his friends were here. Aelita, Yumi, Odd, Ulrich and William. It's then that it hit him. William. He had gotten to the place he was kept, outside the Xana's attacks.

* * *

He had trouble sleeping, could hear his roommate's snores, yet himself couldn't even close his eyes. He was awake enough though to hear the other's perturbed sleep. "Odd! Odd!" he whispered loudly but he just wouldn't wake up. After suffering the same failure with shaking him softly, he gave up leaving him quiet – or not so – and returned to his bed.

But behind his eyelids, terrible pictures were painted. Painful recollections he'd rather forget but that was too marked, so deep in his soul it was a part of him. The most important was that day they lost everything, Lyoko with William. No, he wasn't fond of the other boy, he didn't like him that was true, but no one deserved to be controlled by Xana, even his annoying rival. That mission had been a terrible failure, and it was his fault. He hadn't be able to fight his enemy and his monsters correctly, and caused all the group to fail. William was already possessed when he arrived, and Aelita back to Earth. He was the one that had to face him, even if Yumi and Odd were here also.

He'd always knew he was the strongest Warrior, no one could deny it. Obviously Yumi and Odd were better in their way, Yumi was smart, very good in any kind of strategy, and Odd so agile he could survive a long time with only 10 hp left. But talking about strength, he was supposed to be the best, and he failed miserably. He underestimated William's power, not expecting him to be far stronger than him.

Could he still say he was a Warrior after that terrible failure, because of William? No, it wasn't him, it was Xana. William had only been a tool, and that's what he still is. That's why they have to save him, to free him from Xana's control. He had no right to be imprisoned like that, he didn't even learned how to fight!

Yet, according to Aelita this first time had been a success for him _in the beginning_, he was the monster slayer, a fantastic protector. But this job annoyed him, he wanted to fight, not to protect. Does he could blame him? No, he couldn't. Because he was exactly like him, even if he had to protect Aelita the only reason he went on Lyoko was because of the fight, of the _fun_. Was it still fun now? Not at all, it was so, so dangerous and scaring!

Xana took a power he had never been expected too, and now the supposed bravest Warrior was afraid, of what could happen to them, of how this fight was going to degenerate again. He was terrified they weren't strong enough to battle Xana, they couldn't save William. The second wasn't his priority, that was true, but he was a fair guy and would never abandon anyone there, even if he didn't like the one he was going to save.

It was something he was proud of, he could call himself a _hero_. Grumpy okay, shy and introvert okay, but ready to save everyone if they needed, to help them. He was the thing William wanted to be. The good guy. No need to be friendly for that, only helpful. But could he really help William where he was, they were separated and the situation was almost hopeless. What if Xana was just too strong for them? What if this fight will only lead to their deaths? Whatever, he thought, we're never going to give up. We will fight til the end, as Warriors! Trying to win until the end, to save the world because it was everything they did since the beginning.

Winning against his own demons, he fell asleep easily. Dreaming he was in front of a scanner, not very surprising. He entered and got virtualized to Lyoko. Although, when he opened his eyes, Lyoko was nowhere to be seen. He was in a very dark room without any door, something that looked like a jail. And William was inside. An unhealthy and morbid curiosity paralyzed him when he saw his old foe in detail.

* * *

He was asleep for a very long time right now, he wouldn't just wake up. Like it was centuries for him, following terrible and terrible dreams. All along he had been having horrible nightmares, he was afraid of even opening his eyes. But eventually, he had to come back to reality. He was awake now, but Ulrich didn't realized.

He was acting like he was sleeping, for him not to bother. He shouldn't, not for him, there was no need. He wasn't called joke man for nothing, he was the only one that was never serious, that lightened the situations. He was here just for that, for people to stop this depressive seriousness and don't fall in despair. It was hardly noticeable, but he was a hope bringer, comforting everyone especially his close friends.

Sometimes it annoyed him just to be seen as funny, but finally it was okay because it was what people needed. So he was glad to offer them happiness, to always be here for them. Who said he was selfish? He had been, but the lack of people around him affected him too much. He needed attention himself. So knowing people aren't bad made him really happy, and it was everything. Today he played the boastful and selfish but he wasn't one at all. Okay, boastful yes. But somehow... it was to amuse people.

He needed so desperately friends and always someone around him, so much he got really possessive. It was like a deal, people stayed with him so he was cheering them. He knew he shouldn't be that attached, it wasn't okay and made people uncomfortable, but he couldn't just stop himself. No wonder why no one else than the Lyoko Warriors was ready to like him, and no girl would date him. No he was still so terribly self-centered!

But it was different in their little group, they were all very possessive to each other, Jeremie to Aelita, Ulrich and Yumi to each other, Yumi to Aelita, Ulrich to him and Jeremie, Aelita to everyone... It wasn't wealthy but their alliance came from the biggest fear and the biggest desire, life. They all realized since a while they may not be able to live without each other. They had tried to find themselves in this fight that was only fun in the beginning, and finally they lost the game. They accepted it only because they were _bored_.

He could have called the police, Ulrich could have, Yumi could have. But they didn't. Because they were trying to give a sense to their annoying routine, to be someone. They wanted to be heroes, to be important. He wanted recognition. And this virtual world was so fantastic! Something that came from a video game, literally. Fantasy, amusement. How could he refuse? It was all a question of fun, it was the only thing he wanted. He joined because it all looked so amusing, and because these guys were ready to accept him as a friend without problems.

Now, all the fun was gone. No, fighting a human was far more interesting than monsters, but this human happened to be William, one friend he somehow made, and let down. Nightmares were filling his nights, he felt dirty, he felt guilty. It was his fault, he let a little love interest occupy him enough to abandon his friends. To cause them to turn bad. Would he lose them all like that? No, he couldn't, he wouldn't stand it. He had to save William, to erase his mistake. He had to protect the ones he loved, and accept his attachment to them if they did too.

Stop trying to escape to his own nature. He had to help them as usual, not to fail them. It was his duty, written in his blood, in his skin. His flesh belongs to them, he had to fight for them. They were everything, everything that worth holding on, he promised to protect them to death. And he will never betray them, never ever. He won't lose anyone again, he can't. Wouldn't allow it. He will avoid them being hurt, being taken by Xana.

He didn't even realized he closed his eyes yet when he opened them he was in the scanner room. He didn't wondered, he didn't protested. He knew what he had to do. His friends were around him, everything was okay. They were being sent on Lyoko. Thus, he stepped in his own scanner and stand, up and proud, without fear, while it was closing.

Next thing he saw wasn't Lyoko however, but an unknown place. There was something so wrong with it like darkness was sinking and oozing, contaminating them. He walked to the first figure he saw. He had a hard time recognizing it, keeping his distances. And after long, it hit him it was his lost comrade. He rushed towards him, but stopped almost immediately, narrowing his eyes. And after he could see easily through the shadows, they widened, taking a surprised expression, then terrified.

* * *

Her sleep was troubled, indeed, as usual. Nothing changed, nothing was changing. Things were still the same, and the poisoning routine was still here. Yet, they weren't almost happy to fight as usual. She never had been, but she knew the others was. She was always paying the price, unlike all of them that just wanted to be heroes. Jeremie, it allowed him to work on a new and very useful computer. There was so many things he could do, to use his talents and it amazed him, she knew that. She didn't understood why Yumi accepted, but Odd and Ulrich wanted fun and save people. William himself, he wanted recognition, he wanted praises, he wanted to be someone.

But now she wasn't the only one to pay for her father's acts. It was their mistakes, it had always been. It was their fault if William was trapped. More precisely, she had done no good. Of course, Jeremie had been long to come, Yumi, Ulrich and Odd hadn't been fast enough to stop the Scyphozoa and failed in front of him. But her, she was here with him, she let him leave the way to protect herself. It was their combined mistakes that led to this disaster and she was a part of it. It was selfish to ignore him, to refuse what he wanted and break his illusions. She was smart enough to understand what caused that was their own laziness – they were tired of playing heroes somehow – and William's eagerness.

She had tried to calm him, but not very much it was true, not like she really cared about him that day, all preoccupied in her own security. It was stupid but she didn't even looked at him very much. Now she did, but it was too late for him. She was aware of what she caused, with the others, and she regretted it terribly. Trying to comfort Jeremie, saying it was all their fault, and not only his.

But the problem is, they all tried not to blame themselves, for them not to depress. So much that the problem now was William, and entirely him. She saw it everyday, as a stranger, a foreigner that looks at the events without interfering. They were all thinking now it was him, and really him. It was hidden in their anger, in their dark side, but still. It wasn't Xana that was attacking, but him, him that caused them so many trouble, him that hit them, electrified them, stabbed them many times, him that was always trying to push her in the digital sea, him that wanted to kill them. It wasn't Xana, but William. His ally.

And sometimes, sometimes she couldn't help but think like that. She knew it wasn't the truth, but the lies are so much better it's hard not to believe to them. When she was lucid though, she realized they were doing it very bad. Maybe, probably even, the reason why they were so long to find the program that will save him was because he didn't wanted to be saved. No, that's exactly what they want to hear and it's not right. Xana don't want him to be free, that's the truth. Yumi herself said she thought for a little time she had seen the real William.

Herself believe that too, even if the only time she experienced that was a trick. When her sleep was deep enough, she could hear the echoes of his voice, distorted but there was no doubt it was his. The only things she could understand was him repeating again and again and again _**Save me**_. Was it only a dream? She was confused these times, reality was blurred and taking impossible aspects. Dreams themselves seems so accurate. Perhaps they were. Perhaps they were the only reality. And she couldn't ignore her consciousness when it was yelling she should do something. It was him all the long, she was sure. Not a trick, not a trap, not a stupid dream but him. This voice, it was him, that body, it was him. He was controlled but still here, she believed it.

She tried, like Yumi, to make him come back, telling things that may remember him life on Earth. She only did it once, because it was so painful to see him like this she had rather abandon and wait. When she did it, he convulsed for a moment, taking his head in pain, fighting. For control obviously. That time, he succeeded. He looked at her, so sad, so desperate, and muttered _sorry_, many times, many times, so many times. She listened so long it was driving her crazy, she was surrounded by his guilt, his sadness, and she couldn't stand it. She didn't even realized it stopped before a sword passed through her, devirtualizing her slowly. She stare at him, before disappearing, and he was back to his usual look. _Remember me, I'm not a bad guy._

She only understood after it. He didn't wanted Xana to hurt her, and preferred make her return on Earth himself. It was courageous of him. But the worst thing, she was sure it actually never happened. She was slowly losing her mind with that. Everything was a big hole, she had to differentiate dream and reality but she wasn't able to.

Again she was on the factory, but was it truth? She couldn't remember, she couldn't remember half of the things. In front of a scanner, what would lead her to Lyoko, that prison yet a home. It was both, and somehow she was half happy to go on it, half afraid. Calm, she had to, nothing bad could happen, right? The process was the same and she felt herself flying with all the air that was slamming against her body.

She fell then, for long. And when her new feet landed, she saw the place she was in. Nothing she had ever seen. Strange, she had spent so much time in she thought she knew every single corner of Lyoko. Apparently not. Illusion again or not? Illusion of a dream, illusion of a reality she was lost. But it didn't mattered anymore when she saw William. She doesn't care if it wasn't real, she had to talk to him, to help him anyways. She headed to his figure, that she could barely recognize. When she could finally distinguish it clearly, she covered the scream with her hand.

* * *

Nothing she could do to feel the welcoming torpor. She was far too troubled. Holding tight her doll, the Totoro she brought from Japan, she was wondering if they were doing the right thing. Since the beginning, it seemed okay, not every time they often risked their lives – for real she was near death many times but the one she could recall the most clearly was with the laser.

She still didn't understood how she could have been saved, the laser stopped itself in middle air an inch from her face, it shouldn't have done that. It should have continued, and killed her, exploded her. Maybe this was merely a dream and she was dead. She would have froze to death a second later if the return to the past hadn't saved her, and it was the same case for all of them. They were probably all far away from Earth since a long time. No, she had to be still alive, the pain was still here and only a living body can feel it.

Everything was still the same, but now they were risking also innocent lives, almost all the humanity. A ridiculous cost, what didn't they give up? Because they couldn't, it was fighting to avoid death and maybe fail and lose some people, or waiting to die by Xana's hand when he would take over the world. She was thinking again that they should have stopped before, Aelita was the sweetest girl she had ever seen, but it was and it had always been her or the world.

They didn't realized it before, but were they ready to make this sacrifice? She wasn't at all. They should have stopped before, now it was too late obviously. And she regretted it, especially because one of the innocent lives that had been taken, one of the people that should never had been included in this one, was William. And she loved him, maybe not more than Ulrich she wasn't sure, but it was clear she loved him.

His possession was one of the most painful experience of her life, and she felt guilty, so guilty to have finally accepted him. She shouldn't have, he would be here safe and sound right now if she hadn't made this stupid mistake. Instead, he was god knew where fighting for a killer AI, nothing more than a puppet. Who knew how he was feeling right now? The only thing she dared to wish for him was him not to be aware of his situation. It would all be like a very long dream, he would know what he had done because they would tell him but he won't experience or remember anything.

She wanted him not to have any recollections, it would be better for him when he will come back, that was the least she could wish. She was still haunted by memories of that first and last mission, where everything ended. It was supposed to be fine, better than usual and it ended like the most terrible nightmare she have ever lived. But it was real, damnably true.

He had been taken from the Earth, from his family, from his friends, from... her. She could still remember the blade going through her chest, piercing it. It was cold, it was violent, it was the touch of an enemy. Since it – and all the times they fight him – she couldn't see him otherwise. The worst enemy she had, worse than Xana because it was a friend once. He was hurting her more than their arch enemy, he was playing with her feelings.

Yet it wasn't him, she knew it, but it was hard to fight a lie that was way more pleasant than the truth. Thinking he was evil, he was the foe meant he wasn't suffering because they were his friends and he was fighting them against his will. It was so easier to think it wasn't him, just an illusion, or he turned his back to them.

But somehow, she knew he was still here, the seductive and kind William, she had seen him, his face, his real self. For seconds, but there was no doubt. It wasn't hard to remember, and that was why she wanted to push it back to the furthest corner of her mind. She didn't wanted to think about it again, about how he appeared in front of her, he broke free to look at her with so much sorrow and anguish. How she was finally devirtualized at the moment he grabbed her wrist and took this look that isn't his again.

She had thought it may only be a trick, but her instinct wasn't following. For a second in his eyes, she saw everything that vanished for months, all the grief, all the guilt, everything he was blaming himself of, because it was obvious he was. She could almost look at his soul, that seemed so wrecked, so broken... She didn't wanted anything to remind her it, it was too painful.

Who even knew what he was living? He was having terrible days apparently, and looked so depressed. They needed to save him, so quickly! He needed to be comforted, back on Earth. She had to bring him back, with all the help she could get. Now, she wasn't failing again, this time will be the right one.

That machine in front of her was only waiting, and without anything else than determination, she entered in, and closed her eyes while the light intensified and she was dis-materialized. Lyoko wasn't the next place she landed in, it was a room without any exit. A cell. She was afraid of understanding. Without any light, she couldn't see, but there was a stranger figure not far, and it wasn't one of her friends. She was sure it was William, they have gotten to the place he was kept.

* * *

Aelita yelled his name and Ulrich did the same. Jeremie has frozen, Odd was sobbing, horrified. Yumi already ran at his side, and Ulrich couldn't blame her. She hesitated to touch him, it was easy to see, but he needed comfort, someone so desperately. What had happened here? Yumi was desperate, he looked way worse than the last time she saw him, no wonder why he was breaking mentally with all of these injuries. She didn't know anything about it, but there was no doubt he was being tortured.

But the only thing William did was mumbling _no, not again_. When they approached closer, he tensed and screamed "GO AWAY!". They tried to calm him, but to no avail, he was almost afraid of them. "We are your friends." Jeremie said, in a vain attempt for him to let it go, but immediately William responded with strength "YOU ARE NOT!". It stunned them, why did he refused to recognize them? "We are all the Lyoko Warriors" Ulrich claimed proudly.

He didn't even lift his head and only chucked darkly, in a way that shows he didn't believed it at all. "Prove me" he muttered. "William you're a piece of shit that's so cocky it's not surprising the Scyphozoa cough you!" Ulrich exclaimed spontaneously. Yumi and the others looked at him horrified he said that to someone that was broken, yet William himself finally look at them. His eyes only were full of despair, hopelessness and he looked defeated. He stare a long time and then smiled, but it was sad, and tears in the eyes he said "I missed you".

At his words, they all rushed and hugged him, wanting everything but him to be like that. He didn't moved, amorphous, but Ulrich bet it touched him. He was whimpering with abandon, and they were all feeling ashamed to see him like that because he was genuinely crawling in the dust and it was indirectly because of them.

There were so many things they still needed to know, so much weird stuff. "We don't have much time, it'd better you leave now" the injured teenager said, closing his eyes. It was painful for him clearly, but there was a hurry in his tone, too present for them not to notice. He was fearing something, clearly, but without clues they decided to stay. "We won't" Aelita replied, talking for everyone.

They all began to look in general at the cell, noticing the impressive amount of blood in the floor, that was filling the atmosphere with a metallic and terrible smell. Disgusting. All splinting, the Lyoko Warriors tried all to do something to make him feel better. So surprising it was, Jeremie closed the virtual door, so no one would enter easily and William relaxed, looking less stressed. Odd tried to remove the chains with the help of Ulrich, and they succeeded. Free of moving, the scarred body immediately sat and curled up to be less visible than usual and it hurt the hearts of the Lyoko Warriors. He must had lived something really terrible, for him to react like that. What happened during all the time they wouldn't being seeing him?

Aelita used her creativity power to find something that would cover the blood smell. She apologized with a little voice and said she couldn't create anything so the only thing she had been able to do was put some bricks in the pools, it wouldn't make it disappear but it was better than nothing. Yet he smiled and thank her, thank them trying to make it better. Aelita came around him again and pull him in a strong, comforting hug that she never wanted to end. It was an extremely protective gesture, and it reassured William. Like she screamed she'll never let him down, never again. She will protect him against the dangers. It was impossible thought, but he let her little body warm his and tried to lighten his mood for them, they deserved it.

She cried, tears falling because of the horrible truth they discovered. Because of all this blood, of all their illusions breaking. Because they never thought it could get so bad, and they wouldn't believe it; now the only thing they could feel was guilt, they shouldn't have brought him, they shouldn't have switched on the supercomputer at the first place. Aelita knew it also, and if they could she would be the first to launch a return to the past to return to this unconsciousness; it could heal all the scars.

But she was aware it will never occur, so she sobbed for the end of their tranquil, hero life to a selfish and harmful one. She wimped with all the others, for him, and all the others they sacrificed for their little war. If only they could have realized on time they were building the most horrible situation they ever knew. They should have open their eyes, but no, they always stayed in ignorance for the people that might suffer.

Jeremie was certainly the most touched in this story, he was keeping all along a horrified face. It was him that began everything, and was never thinking it would hurt someone. If he knew, he wouldn't have switched on that damn machine. Now, William was like a ghost in this machine, trapped, suffering at every second.

Odd hadn't said anything, but he was terrified, it was easy to tell. Would he ever end like that, would he ever end like that, would he make again that terrible mistake and lose his friends one after all to a bloodthirsty and demonic AI? How could it had gone so wrong? They were all wondering, and none of them was understanding.

Ulrich was touching the frail and shaking body, to make sure how real it was and realized it wasn't just a nightmare, it was the terrible truth. So he cried with Aelita, spreading the blood in this apparent corpse, in a morbid sadness and horror.

Yumi was shocked to see him react like that, Ulrich that was so strong, that was always reaching them up, has giving up everything in this terrible vision. Herself could barely believe she was seeing William, it didn't make sense. All Lyoko was always cartooning, with lasers and such things, it was a living video game. It wasn't possible, it wasn't possible this was happening in the corner. And sensations, they weren't allowed here, and there was no pain, no blood, nothing like that. It wasn't possible... wasn't it?

However the one she once liked very much was here torn in pain, in the center of a cell full of an impossible amount of his blood. How could he even survive? It wasn't... real. She refused it with all her heart, but couldn't deny it looked so horribly and terribly true, different to every dream she could have. William was here, in front of her, and he should be dead. But this was true, the freezing chains onto her fingers were running were real, and the blood was also, like this entire cell. William was real, and all his injuries with him.

They were the only things not real, looking like ghost. It was their Lyoko avatar, but the body two meters away was a human one. Not only data, genetic code. It was his skin, his blood like he was on Earth. But he wasn't. They weren't, so how? Where? And why, why were they living this? They, they shouldn't have. It wasn't supposed to turn like that. Denying was the only thing she could do, but someone was sobbing and someone she knew. Someone who had lived terrible things.

She approached slowly and touching the body just to make sure she wasn't having a morbid dream, she wondered how many things he had lived. They were bruised and scars, but it wasn't the worst. The skin was all irregular, pierced, cut, ripped, burned. No, she couldn't continue like that, the only thing that mattered was the head. She looked deeply in his eyes, where all she could find was horror and despair. And at this moment she gave in. She joined the others in the tear sharing, in the apparent sadness. But crying won't help. She hugged him softly, and sobbed. There was nothing she could do, nothing at all. Only contemplating with terror.

Odd was laying in a fetal position, as touched as everyone, but he was only turning on himself. He was blaming himself, he may be the most horrified. "This wasn't supposed to happen! why? WHY?!" he was keeping saying but the center of the attention stopped him, with a look that induced they hadn't seen the worst.

Thus Aelita, that calmed a little and was trying to understand how it could have gone this wrong, was wondering, why he was so cautious, why did he refused to recognize them at the beginning. "William what happened?" He looked away, his cheeks taking a dark red color. "That's nothing really" he really was the worst liar, how could he pretend that? "I'm okay, digging my grave" he added with a cynical laugh.

It was clear he had been present all the time of the attacks, and Aelita knew it more than anyone. Herself even remembered these times she was possessed but everything was blurred. However it was a different type of control now, it was permanent. Wanting to add something, William said _he_ came. They all stared, with one only question on their lips that Aelita eventually asked. "Who is he?" William ignored her and the question stayed in suspend.

Understanding he didn't wanted to respond, even if she didn't know why, she questioned him if it was his blood on the floor, but blushing in shame he refused to acknowledge her one more time. So she didn't insisted and look at him with infinite sadness, crying and hugging him again with the strength of despair. She was fearing she would lose him. Now William was afraid again, nervous. There was a dead silence, no one dared to talk. They were all hooked on William's actions, that became so pale, livid like a corpse. He was shaking in fear. They didn't moved at all.

Finally Odd perceived a little, regular sound that was growing, closer and closer. They all recognized the footsteps' sound, but none of them was understanding why it was perturbing their friend so much. Aelita was the first to pierce the secret, it surely was _him_, that tortured William. None of them wanted to meet that psychopath, and they were all trembling in silence. They didn't even breathe in all the tension that was in the room.

Thankfully the sound became lower and lower, _he_ was going away, not getting in. They all sighed in relief and William smiled a little, reassured. It was before a voice cold as ice, threatening, resonated in the cell. It was William's voice but there was something wrong with it, speaking with oily tones, they all _felt_ the darkness stuck in it with even seeing the person.

"William" it spoke with a harsh yet calm tone. It wasn't a threat, sounding more like a promise. But not a good one obviously, William's face discomposed and he reacted violently, screaming and looking scared as hell. Of course he knew, he was aware of everything. He only didn't came now, but he was going to pay it all, indeed as always.

So, not wanting his friends to see it, he hissed "You should really go now!" and added yelling "Go away NOW!" and he took one knife, certainly used against him and hit them all without saying goodbye. His mouth had an involuntary smirk, a horrified one, when Aelita, the last to disappear, muttered him "Good luck". And then there was only darkness.

* * *

What woke him up was a scream, from his roommate. He hadn't even realized he was yelling like he had seen the death's face himself. Only when Jim rushed to their room he noticed it was so wrong they reacted like that. But Jimbo's anger vanished when he saw them two, curled up in their beds, Odd crying silently and him not daring moving, so shocked. The adult put what was supposed to be a strong hand on their shoulders to comfort them, but it didn't really work. The only thing he did then was leave without a word and warn the others students not to enter if they didn't wanted to get the punishment of their lives.

He rushed to another room, where a voice could be heard clearly. Ulrich first thought it was Jeremie, but listening better, he recognized William's voice. No it wasn't him, just this stupid clone. Yet his voice sounded so... human, full of horror and despair. Was it William? Perhaps he was just imitating them, like the other time. Idiot data, there was nothing human in him, nothing smart. He was walking in William appearance, looking dead inside because he didn't even lived. He was just a pain, the last trash of a humanoid and stupid being.

He realized thinking how he hated the clone more than the original calmed him, so he exhaled deeply. A nightmare, that's all. Nothing special, it happened all the time. He was nervous, and his subconscious showed him his worst fears that's all. Nothing much. But what about Odd? He looked so horrified, so desperate... It must have been worse for him to react like that. Ulrich had no idea what he dreamed, but it surely wasn't pleasant.

He came around his roommate, hugging him silently to reassure him, muttering it was okay. However, when he heard Odd shaking voice talking about _that_ nightmare with William, he didn't comforted him and replied with a harsh tone "Just a nightmare, forget it". He didn't wanted at all to think about it, it was just his mind that was messed up, and Odd's too, there was no way all this shit could have truly happened.

With this words, he left and returned to his bed, watching Odd trying to calm. He was doing a pretty good job, and after a moment he could hear him snore as usual, quietly as nothing happened. Right, because nothing happened! It wasn't real, it couldn't be a second. Strong of his certitudes, he fell asleep again without experiencing any other dream.

But he wasn't so sure the morning after. As usual, they found in the school's court, but they all looked away in shame. Odd calmed himself and was okay now like him. But Jeremie was nervous, having those dark rings under his eyes that appeared when he worked too late, and Aelita looked destroyed, she had sobbed way too much in the night. She wasn't okay at all, scratches on her cheeks, like she had a panic crisis. Probably she had.

Yumi was standing too proud, too high, too tensed. It was clear she was hiding a trouble. Something that made her very uncomfortable. But he didn't dared ask. None of them was talking about the subject that was burning their lips. Finally Aelita asked "You had the same dream right?". All of them nodded immediately, denying. Yumi responded curtly "I don't know what you're talking about!" and Aelita didn't responded, only looked sad.

No, it wasn't possible they all had the same dream. "Anyway it's only a dream Aelita!" Yumi almost yelled this time, looking even tenser. No they didn't. And she was right, it was only that, not real at all. They all agreed, and finally smiled talking about something else. They will forget this terrible picture that wasn't real at all. It was not like William was actually like that, they would have seen it before. No he was okay, and they were too. Everything was okay and will stay like that.

* * *

I saw them five tonight. I felt their presence. I have no idea how, they appeared for a minute in my cell and talked all together, and saw me. They were here, we spoke together, they apologized. They touched my broken and bloody body. They looked so afraid, so horrified. Like total shits. Or maybe it was only a dream. It should be it, it's not possible they came in. Not possible they could see my biggest shame.

No they were here, it's a certitude. I can't deny it, I can still feel Yumi's tears on my chin that's still wet and Aelita's touch in my neck. Her little hug warmed me, it's true. Lost moment of tenderness in that ocean of pain and despair. The blood has been spread and I didn't do it. It's Ulrich. My hands aren't chained anymore and I would never be able to do that. It's Odd. The cell is locked and I don't know how. Jeremie closed it from the inside, it would give a pretty hard time to this dumb clone to open it! He allowed me to have a few time of rest.

The room has almost a scent of hope, happiness now that the metallic smell vanished. They make it bearable. Thank you, thank you all, I feel better now. I'll wait for you, I already told you do your best I know you're working for me. Thank you and please excuse me for being so weak, but I can't really fight him anymore. My body is desperately in need of a cure even if I wanted to resist I couldn't. But I believe in you all.

Thankfully they must think it was a horrible nightmare, and I'll never tell anything to them. It's better if they don't know, far better. I don't need their pity, only their work. I don't want them to cry for me, it's useless what's done can't be erased but I still need to be saved. It's okay, I can stand it. I can... So far the boot steps don't make themselves hear, I'm fine.

* * *

He tried today. He found that dream so weird, different from even any nightmare he could have had. He thought a lot the last night during his insomnia and came to the conclusion it wasn't a usual event. All his friends were here and all shared that, it was undoubtable with the shame look they all had this morning. None of them wanted to talk about it.

But Jeremie was too suspicious to think of a coincidence and this general denial wasn't helping. There was something abnormal with this vision that they shouldn't have all seen, and he wanted to discover what, he wanted to find the answers himself, so he went to the factory and entered the same code than the last night. It was like the coordinates were marked in his spirit, he could tell them by heart. Not any dream had left him a such clear memory before. He went to the scanner, convincing himself he was okay, he had nothing to fear. It surely was a trap, but he wanted to be sure. What if that program could really permit him to go see his imprisoned friend?

After the unusual sensation of virtualization, he woke up on Lyoko in a ghost like form like the last time. No, this wasn't Lyoko, it was the same place than this night. All dark, he could barely see but the wall were still full of blood, so the cell was. And William was here. Chained again, the door open, Jeremie understood what he meant by "little time".

He hadn't been able to see why William was in this atrocious state, but now he could clearly be aware of it. Who was _him_. It was a clone, a perfect clone of William, a lookalike that was his exact picture, all dressed like him. The only difference was the Xana's eye on his forehead, that William didn't had. Only when he was controlled, and now like this night, he wasn't.

Although, Jeremie was on the verge of vomiting when he saw what was happening. Why William's body was so scarred and injured. He apparently appeared just during a torture session, and it was horrible, he couldn't stand it, that devious happiness coming from Xana – or was it really him – when he succeeded to take pitiful and loud screams from his victim, William's hopelessness, his state worse than anything, he had just let it go, abandoning dignity, whimpering and piercing his ears. The knives with which he was stabbing the body, and ripping the skin. All these weapons he had no idea what they were, never seen them. It was disgusting, horrible. He couldn't even describe it. But one thing he did recognize was the acid. Oh no, he didn't wanted to see it at all. He was a genius, not an expert in weapons or such but he knew what acid could do, it wasn't going to be pretty at all.

It was the most horrible show he had ever seen in his life. How did William managed to lie to them, to say he was _fine_?! Himself couldn't even watch, just how many times did he lived that? How could he even believe? He was so strong, so strong to _thank_ them, to _hope_! Jeremie realized himself would have gave in before, far before. William's body was showing it wasn't the second time, clearly. He understood now why he talked about grave, why he cried so much that night, William was almost desperate and no one could blame him with that. It was horrible, was showing a reality he refused to believe, he never thought it would happen. He just wasn't able to continue looking and stabbed himself with his little daggers.

Back in the scanner, he staggered feeling so dizzy and emptied his stomach in the room. Sitting in the scanner and shaking, he wondered what he could have done for it to happen. How was it possible that a little fight turned so bad? He should – and this thought was really painful for him – he should have switched off the supercomputer when he still could. Aelita was his little angel, she was everything, but none of them had to suffer this much.

He realized how selfish he had gotten, it was his fight and he brought other people in it and asked them to sacrifice themselves. Their studies, their life, their family. But the worst was William, he brought him in and killed him himself. It was all his fault, he would never recover and it was his fault. Returning in the lab, he promised himself it was his time to sacrifice, for his mistakes, he will pass all his time here to save William. Nothing else mattered, school was so futile compared to that! And he thought he will never go on the cell again, it was the best way to lose sanity. He won't tell the others, they shouldn't be aware of it. It was him and his program. To save William, that's all.


End file.
